EU leaders to meet on Brexit when enough progress reported - official

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BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders are ready to meet to finalise the terms of Britain’s withdrawal as soon as negotiations get close enough, but with insufficient progress so far there are no plans for an extraordinary summit in November, EU officials said.

Leaders of the 27 EU countries that will remain in the bloc after Britain leaves in March 2019 discussed progress in the Brexit negotiations over dinner on Wednesday after a speech delivered by British Prime Minister Theresa May.

“The 27 leaders note that, despite intensive negotiations, not enough progress has been achieved,” one EU official present at the talks said.

“(The leaders) stand ready to convene a European Council, if and when the Union negotiator reports that decisive progress has been made. For now, the 27 are not planning to organise an extraordinary summit on Brexit in November,” the official said.

EU leaders also expressed full confidence Michel Barnier as their chief negotiator and their determination to stay united.